Brothers in Arms: Moments and Memories
by Solid Shark
Summary: A series of oneshots, in no particular order, expounding upon events within or before Brothers in Arms. If you haven't read that story, you won't understand what's going on.
1. Once Rivals

I don't own anything except Kevin Walker, Invictus, and Meryl Steiglitz

* * *

Note: In case it isn't obvious, this takes place from Meryl Steiglitz's perspective

* * *

It's been a long night, and I'm not looking forward to going on duty. That's on my mind as I head for the Bridge, following the Mendel attack. After all, we "mere soldiers" all know who's _really_ in command of the _Dominion_; and that _really_ gets me steamed. After all, Muruta Azrael is the leader of Blue Cosmos. 

If he knew who and I what I really am, he'd kill me for sure. He hates Coordinators, and I'm even worse than that. Of course, my parents taught me long ago _never_ to breath a word of _that_ to _anyone_.

But my thoughts are interrupted, as I hear the call to go to Battlestations. _Well, at least it's a break in the routine,_ I think; then I realize we've got an intruder alert on our hands.

I duck back into my quarters, snatch my rapier -too bad the Fencing Prince isn't around anymore; I'd have loved one last chance to face off with him- and then race toward the Bridge. Whoever has boarded us, that will be their target.

I'm not surprised when I hear Azrael's shuttle, along with his three creepy pilots and their machines, have taken off. _Good riddance,_ I think, and continue on my way, a cold smile on my face. _Who knows, maybe whoever's trying to take over is an improvement; if it's the so-called Three Ships Alliance, it sure is._

Then, nearing the elevator to the Bridge, I feel a strange sensation; something I've felt on only a handful of occasions since my parents died. It's one of us, I can tell; not sure if it's a natural-born or man-made, but those of the Blood can sense each other, however they came to be of the Blood. But I have to wonder: what's one of them doing here? The Blood has thinned so much over the years, especially since the advent of Coordinators, that you hardly ever come across even a man-made, let alone a pureblood, and I can't even begin to calculate the odds against there being even one with the Three Ships Alliance.

Still, there's no doubt there _is_ one of the Blood up there, which means I have to choose my next move very carefully. Those of the Blood have heightened senses, and some of them are _very_ powerful in the extrasensory region; and you _never_ make a hasty move against one, lest he pull a rabbit out of his hat... or a tiger, or a wolf, or an eagle...

But now I hear something else. The intercom is on, and I hear a voice that seems familiar...

_"Attention, crew of the Mobile Assault Ship_ Dominion._ This is Kevin Walker speaking. As of now, your ship is under the control of the Three Ships Alliance; I strongly urge that you do not resist. If you remain calm and cooperate with my people, you will not be harmed. In fact, those of you who wish to leave the ship will be permitted the use of unarmed shuttles, sufficient to take you to Earth Alliance territory."_

I know that voice. But "Kevin Walker" isn't the name attached to it, in my head. Who...? Then the mystery is solved.

"However, I'd like you to hear me out first. Your superiors have been lying to you, and I think you should know the truth. I introduced myself as Kevin Walker. But some of you may know me by what passes for my real name. I was born Kevin Onishi, son of Baron John Tyler Onishi, of Orb. Now, you've been told by your superiors that Orb supported the PLANTs, and even aided them in the attacks on Alaska and Panama. Before I tell you the true story behind it, though, let me tell you why you should believe what I'm saying. See, there's a reason I disappeared over three years ago, after my parents were assassinated. I was kidnapped by ZAFT, tortured, and memory-wiped; then augmented into a super-soldier by a madman known as Oracle. That's right; I'm the guy they called Hydra, and even Cain. But I was brainwashed. I did not serve ZAFT willingly, though it took me six months to regain my senses. When I finally did, I destroyed the lab and everything in it, including my fellow Destroyers."

Kevin Onishi! No _wonder_ the voice sounds familiar! My old fencing rival... and most assuredly one of the Blood, though his family line is not recorded in the annals of Bloodlines my parents passed down to me.

And now he's been altered by ZAFT... which explains why he's fighting for neither them nor the Earth Forces, and possibly why his presence seems so much stronger than others of the Blood.

_"So maybe you'll believe me when I say that if Orb had been supporting the PLANTs, I would never have stayed behind to defend it. There is nothing in this world I hate more than ZAFT, and only one thing that I hate as much. So maybe you'll me when I tell you the true story of Alaska, and how Headquarters knew we were being sent to the slaughterhouse... and it was not ZAFT that nearly incinerated the _Archangel_ and us with it. No, the reason all were lost at Alaska was because Headquarters had deployed a Cyclops system there. And unlike Endymion Crater, this was not a weapon of last resort. Indeed, intelligence was leaked to ZAFT in order to get them to attack... and when they were too far in to escape, Headquarters activated the Cyclops, destroying eighty percent of ZAFT's fighting strength and a goodly number of their own people. So tell me, soldiers. Would you truly wish to continue to serve people like that, who would sacrifice their own in such a cold-blooded manner, then blame it on a neutral nation as justification for going to war in order to seize their superior technology, and just as importantly, their mass driver? Do you want to serve those who fight Coordinators simply because of envy and bigotry? If that's your choice, then you're free to leave... but if you believe what I'm saying, I urge you to join us, to help us stop this war before it results in the destruction of both sides."_

_Oh, those bastards...! _How could I have believed the rubbish Headquarters gave us? How could_ any_ of us?_ Those bastards actually used a _Cyclops_ on their own people? How _dare_ they?_

Well, the good Baron's certainly found the right hook to use on us. _I_ certainly believe him; even if I didn't remember his reputation for impeccable honesty, I'm willing to believe _anything_ about Headquarters... as long as it's bad.

But now I have another dilemma: I know that at least the fire-control officer, combat commander, and first-shift helmsman are Coordinator-haters, which means they'll do their best to stop the takeover. From the sound of things, two of them are already dead, but the helmsman is still around, so I'd better go deal with him.

* * *

The elevator swiftly takes me to the Bridge, and I arrive just in time to slip unobserved to the bow of the Bridge, while Captain Badgiruel is speaking. "All right, Snake," she says, and with those words, _Dominion_ is a rogue ship. 

I notice most of my -surviving- shipmates are relieved, but my eyes are on the helmsman. Sure enough, he lunges from his seat, sidearm in hand, crying, "Traitor!" at the top of his lungs. So I make my move.

My blade comes from her sheath like she has a mind of her own, and for the first time she tastes human flesh and blood. Her razor-sharp tip enters through the loyalist's back, spearing through his heart and exiting through his breastbone.

"I won't allow it," I say quietly, and withdraw my blade from his back. I wipe her on his uniform, and slip her back into her scabbard. I feel no remorse; he, like Azrael, hated Coordinators, and he was about to shoot my Captain... and my friend. I could not allow it.

"Thank you, Lieutenant. That was well-timed." Captain Badgiruel nods to me in thanks, and turns to the Baron. "Snake, this is Lieutenant (Senior Grade)-"

"Meryl Steiglitz," he interrupts, clearly surprised. "Fancy meeting you here."

"Good to see you, too, Baron," I respond with a smile; I'm happy he remembers me. It's been around four years, and he's younger than me, but with Coordinators, what does seven or eight years really matter? I gotta admit, the black outfit and the scar he's sporting these days -wonder where he picked _that_ up?- make him look even more mature, and more than a bit dashing. Makes me remember why I used to have a crush on the guy.

Maybe still do... not that I can think about that right now...

Meanwhile, the Captain's looking at us like we've both gone crazy. "Do you two know each other?" she asks suspiciously.

"You could say that," the Baron replied. "During her Academy days, the Lieutenant here was an Olympic-class fencer; and she was also my last opponent prior to my parents' assassination."

"Not as good as you, Baron," I say demurely. "As I recall, you took me out pretty fast." Something which _really_ bothered me until I found out more about him; I was unused to losing, but then at the time I thought he was a Natural.

"That's because of certain genetic advantages," he tells me; as if I don't already know. "And don't call me Baron, okay? I'm Baron Onishi's legal heir, but quite frankly I'm not very fond of my uncle's memory these days."

_That's_ news to me, at least part of it; but I always thought he looked a little uncomfortable as a nobleman. But what's this about his uncle?

Captain Badgiruel blinks. "Your uncle?"

Baron- uh, Snake looked thoroughly disgusted. "My biological parents were actually Siegel Clyne and his wife, Natarle; my uncle, it seems, was a believer in the teachings of Nietzsche. Apparently, using genetic samples obtained who-knows-how, he decided to create the Overman: me. It's a long story, but suffice it to say, I hope John Tyler Onishi rots for eternity."

Ouch. No _wonder_ he hates the guy's guts.

Behind us, the Bridge elevator slides open again. "Say, Boss," a man in battle armor, with features strikingly similar to Snake's, says, floating out, "don't you think it's about time you called the _Archangel_ and told them the mission was a success?"

The Captain and I look from one Kevin Walker to the other. "Uh... Are we missing something here?" I question, confused. _Does he have a twin brother nobody got around to mentioning?_

Kevin shrugs. "Oh, sorry. Natarle Badgiruel, Meryl Steiglitz, this is John Tyler, also known as Invictus. As you can tell from his remarkable good looks, he and I have a genetic connection; in point of fact, he's one of many clones ZAFT made of me. But unlike a certain fellow who's out to kill me, John's on _our_ side."

"Uh... right..." Badgiruel shakes her head. "Anyway, he has a point; I'd appreciate it if you informed your comrades that they don't have to shoot at us anymore."

I share her sentiment; both of them, really. I don't want to be shot, either, and I'm just as puzzled by this "Invictus". I've heard of him, of course; but last I heard he was Rau Le Creuset's private assassin. Oh, well, I'm sure I'll hear the full story eventually.

"Right you are, Natarle." He moves over to the command chair and fiddles with the radio settings. "By the way, John, how many left the ship?"

"About a dozen," his clone informs him. "Not bad, considering; if I had to guess, they were mostly Azrael's people."

"Figures." Kevin pushes a final button. "_Archangel_, this is the _Dominion_, do you copy? This is Snake."

A face I presume to be Murrue Ramius' appears on the main screen. _"I was beginning to worry, Snake. The ship is secure?"_

"Affirmative. Three casualties, all of them Earth Forces; and Azrael and his people got away." He shrugs again. "But the ship is under our control. Natarle has agreed to join us, and so have most of her crew. Clean sweep, mon Capitan."

She nods. _"And Flay? Is she all right?"_

"Haven't had time to check," Kevin admits; no doubt they're talking about that girl Le Creuset sent over to us for some reason, with the data that bastard Azrael seemed so excited about.

"She's fine, Captain," the Captain says, stepping forward. "A little shaken up, but she's okay." She glances at Snake. "By the way, Snake, was that really Kira Yamato out there? I thought..."

_"Reports of his death were greatly exaggerated,"_ Captain Ramius says dryly._ "The pilot who tried to kill him is with us these days, too; so is Dearka Elsman, the Buster's pilot. I'm sure you remember him."_

"If only because Flay tried to assassinate him," Badgiruel agrees; I don't yet get the joke, but I suppose I will sometime. "I guess things have changed since we last met. So, is the _Archangel_ going to rendezvous with us, or do we go to you?"

_"You'd better come to us,"_ Ramius says after a moment's reflection._ "I'm sure there's nothing to worry about, but some of our people may not be so trusting."_

"Understood," Kevin breaks in. "We're on our way; we'll discuss final arrangements once we rendezvous. _Dominion_, clear." He cuts the connection, and glances around the Bridge. "Speaking of rendezvous, we seem to have a small problem; the helmsman is a corpse."

"I'll handle it, sir," I say immediately. "I'm second-shift helmsman; I was just coming on duty when you launched your attack." _And not looking forward to another shift under Azrael's eye,_ I don't add.

"Right." Snake looks briefly at the command chair, then shakes his head and settles into Azrael's former seat. "Okay, Lieutenant, let's get moving."

"With pleasure, Sir," I say, and settle into the helmsman's chair.

_This is the best day I've had since the war started,_ I think, as I plot our course._ I don't think I've ever been happier to see someone... and I _know_ I've never been this happy on _this_ ship._

It's obvious by now to everybody but the Baron himself that _Dominion_'s in for a change in command; and it looks to me like even Captain -or I guess I should say Lieutenant Commander- Badgiruel approves. Of course, being old-family military, she probably thinks she doesn't deserve to be in command now, after having it taken away from her so easily. Nothing she could have done about it, of course, but humans are never the most logical of people.

For my part, I'm delighted at the prospect of having Kevin Onishi- er, Kevin _Walker_ in command. He's a nice guy, he's a Coordinator... and he's even of the Blood.

Oh, yes, this is a _fine_ day that's dawning.

* * *

Author's note: Okay, the first of the promised one-shots. These will, of course, include hints about the sequel to Brothers in Arms; it just wouldn't be me if there weren't a few cryptic references. 

I don't know how many of my old reviewers will be reading this, but I'll respond to the final reviews for Brothers in Arms anyway.

Ominae, I'm not sure what to make of your review; did you perhaps make a mistake? Because I seem to remember you _approving_ of the Kevin/Murrue scenes.

Deathzealot, I _thought_ I remembered you from somewhere; I ended up going back through old reviews of the Second Story, and there you were. You may be interested to know that I am working on the next chapter of that (if only to get people off my back about it).

Arekuruu-inabikari-no-She, I am very glad to hear it. As for Artemis, though, I actually haven't read any of the manga, so I wouldn't know.

As it happens, I've already read information about Destiny on that site; and never fear, I already have some in-depth plans to make use of what I know.

Julius Faust, thanks for reviewing; though you apparently missed a set of author's notes earlier on. I appreciate the information about where to find Destiny episodes, but I personally prefer to wait until it reaches the States. Still, thanks anyway.

Shinji Ikari, you are simply not going to convince me that even the great Kira Yamato can stick a gigantic energy weapon in a cockpit and _expect_ to miss the pilot; and if you'll notice, Le Creuset does _not_ escape unscathed. If I'm not greatly mistaken, even if GENESIS hadn't blasted him to atoms the wound he received from Kira would have killed him. And you're _certainly_ not going to convince me Kira was trying to leave _that_ guy alive. He gives every indication of trying to kill him as dead as possible.

I'm afraid I still don't agree about the Xenogears/Xenosaga matter, but that's really irrelevant and would take me far too long to go into.

Yes, what I meant was that, if the pilot is in a bad mood, the Zero System would make such an assumption (or something like that, anyway). And by the way, you won't find any references to Project Prometheus Unchained in the earlier chapters. That's just me giving cryptic hints again. All will be explained at the appropriate time; possibly in one of the one-shots, if I happen to include anything post-series.

I do intend to use, at the very least, characters from the Astray manga in the sequel, even if I don't manage to read any of it. I've already gotten a good bit of information about it from MAHQ (which explains the Gai Murakumo reference, by the way; he, at least, will be probably be appearing in A Call to Arms, as well as Rondo Mina Sahaku, assuming she's still alive).

Don't worry about continuity errors in A Call to Arms; I think I've got that covered already, so the story _will_ be posted on schedule.

Still thinking about what to do with the Kira/Flay talk. I'll have to find a place where it'll fit (and you're right, it wouldn't work as a one-shot; these are all intended to be events directly involving Kevin Walker or his actions).

The Natarle/Invictus theme will be more fully-developed in the sequel; and a couple of other characters, most notable Max and Meryl Steiglitz, will play far larger roles.

Actually, having seen some of G-Gundam, that _was_ what inspired that particular repair method for the various machines; hence the expected modifications to the Stormhawk's design. And yes, Kevin's secret-keeping habits will cause some problems in A Call to Arms, as he himself expects… not that that would stop him, of course.

Flay… I'm not sure exactly how I'm going to handle that, though it's a fairly safe bet she wouldn't remain with the _Dominion_ after the war. This will require much thought.

The scene with Carter stemmed from my desire not to write yet another cookie-cutter villain. Previous "rivals" I've written for my main characters have never been very well-developed, and I decided it was time to change that. (Food for thought, and a cryptic hint from me: how Kevin and Carter react if they found themselves under attack simultaneously by the same people?)

I can't properly answer your question about Sarnac yet. I'm still in the process of thinking up Carter's organization, and what there is so far is pretty amorphous. I'll have to get back to you on that.

Oh yes, Evan Bitter will be playing an… interesting role in A Call to Arms. And that, of course, is all I shall reveal about him.

As for Athrun becoming Cagalli's bodyguard still… well, that's largely because of continuity. Also, however, remember that even here they're good friends, and Athrun just doesn't seem the type to settle down at an orphanage like Kira, content to remain out of the action.

I guess that's about everything. One last thing, though: within a few days I'll be posting the first chapter of a new story. Another AU of Gundam SEED, this will have no connection to Brothers in Arms. I know a few of you are already waiting for it, so I just thought I'd mention it'll be up soon. -Solid Shark


	2. Sworn Siblings

I don't own anything except Kevin Walker

* * *

Note: this is written from Murrue Ramius' perspective

* * *

Kevin Walker... even now, after nearly two years, I still remember quite clearly the day we first met. It was the Orb resource satellite Heliopolis, and from that first day, I knew he was someone not idly crossed or trifled with, someone who was quite capable of killing if the need arose. I soon learned he was capable of killing in other situations, too... and more importantly, I learned that day that he was human, whatever his genes looked like and whatever incredible capabilities had been built into him. 

Of course, his humanity wasn't exactly the first thing I noticed about the so-called "Crimson Tiger"...

* * *

Morgenroete Factory Floor, Heliopolis. January 25th, C.E. 71

* * *

The entire facility is in chaos, with flames and smoke everywhere and explosions going off all around, even as I stand on the dormant GAT-X105 Strike. Most of my people have been killed, and in my haste to avoid suffering the same fate, I just came very close to shooting three teenagers. _What are _they_ doing here?_ I wonder, then turn my attention back to the firefight below. 

My attention doesn't stay there long. The third teen, the one wearing black, seems to be holding a gun of some kind. I hear a faint shout over the din, something like "Come reap what you have sown!", and then he leaps. Incredibly, his legs carry him across the entire factory room, while he fires unerring shots from his antique-looking gun, until he lands on the other side.

How on earth did he do that?

Once again, my attention has remained fixated on one thing for too long; I hear a shout of "Behind you!", and realize that a ZAFT soldier has gotten around behind me, on one of the catwalks. I spin, and fire the last few rounds in my assault rifle's magazine, killing him.

I suppose it should make me feel ill; after all, before today I've never killed someone in single combat like this. But right now I'm too busy to feel anything but tension and a distant sort of fear.

I realize the only way out for the brown-haired young man who saved my life is the very mobile suit I'm standing on. _Forget secrecy; I don't have a choice, and he's already seen it anyway._

"Come here!" I call to the youth.

He shakes his head. "Thanks, but I'm off to the shelters in the left block; never mind me!"

"There's nothing left behind that door!" I respond; the factory is already going up in smoke, and all access to the shelters is now cut off.

The gun-toting teen concurs with my words. "She's right. Nothing there but rubble and things going bang." His confirmation is punctuated by another "thing going bang"; that seems to decide the youth, and he begins running along the catwalk toward me.

"Over hear!" I call, and to my surprise, he vaults the railing and lands hard on the Strike's body. He's just nearing me when it happens.

It feels like someone just hit me in the shoulder with a hammer, and I realize dimly I've just been shot. I fall back, just barely retaining my hold on my sidearm.

The next few moments are blurry, but I can hear the youth exchanging surprised exclamations with the red-suited man who shot me; and then the next thing I know, the black-clad gunfighter is there, knocking away the ZAFT soldier's knife and kicking him in the chest.

The cobwebs clear from my head, and I raise my pistol with my shaky, wounded arm. The few shots I fire miss, but they're sufficient to drive the attacker away.

Decision time again; but really, the decision is already made. I shove the brown-haired teen into the Strike, and jump in after him. "There isn't room for three," I call up to the gunfighter. "You'd better get out of here!"

Surprisingly, he grins; evidently he doesn't think a ZAFT attack is much to worry about. _I wish I had his self-confidence,_ I think to myself.

"I'll see you outside, whoever you are," he says. Then, as the hatch begins to close, he directs his gaze at my companion. "Don't worry about me; you know I can handle myself."

Now the Strike is sealed, and I begin to activate the mobile suit's systems. As I do so, I feel a little sad. Good as that mysterious teen is, I can't imagine he'll survive the attack.

How little do I know...

* * *

That was how I first met Kevin Walker. I never expected to see him again after that moment, though. It looked like Morgenroete was doomed, and probably him with it. 

That was about the last time I underestimated him. Of course, at the time all I knew of Project ABADDON was vague rumors, and it certainly never occurred to me that the friend of Kira Yamato, the young man I'd taken aboard, might have something to do with the Project; let alone that he had once been the leader of the so-called Destroyers.

Anyway, the first time I met Kevin Walker, his genetically-enhanced capabilities (I later learned his cybernetics weren't even fully active at that point) saved my life. Since he's done the same thing several times since, it's a debt I doubt I'll ever be able to pay off.

Ironically, the next time we met face-to-face, he came very close to killing me. Had he been even slightly less confident in his abilities, he probably would have; but, being a genetically-engineered, cybernetically-augmented super-soldier, he settled for disarming me.

It was certainly quite a surprise. First being called rookie by someone who looked about ten years younger than me, then having my sidearm blown out of my hand quite casually... and then, finally, having that same young killer convince his friends to follow my instructions.

Kevin Walker was a puzzle, wrapped in an enigma, surrounded by a conundrum. He was, as Mu La Flaga described him not an hour later, a chameleon, capable of changing appearances and personas as easily as most people changed clothes. Yet every persona I met on Heliopolis, and later, turned out to be a facet of the true Kevin.

I was afraid of him, at first. But now, looking back over the past two years, I remember something. There was something about him, even then, that inspired trust. Beneath the cold, ruthless killer exterior, there was a genuinely trustworthy and even likeable human being.

Following Heliopolis, we became... friendly acquaintances, I guess would be the way to put it. I didn't see much of him for quite a while (I later learned that during the journey to Earth, he was tormented by memories and nightmares; most particularly about his troubled past and his future girlfriend, Cagalli Yula Athha), but I liked what I did see; despite the ever-deepening mystery surrounding him.

The surveillance footage from Artemis, I'll grant, caused me some concern; but then, at the time, even _I_ felt like killing Rear Admiral Gerard Garcia, so I suppose it doesn't really count. Aside, of course, from the fact that bullets refused to touch him and he somehow sprouted claws from both hands.

One of the most pleasant surprises I received during those early months of 71 was when Kevin Walker's bizarre GINN-G-weapon hybrid appeared out of nowhere in the Libyan desert to save us all again; something that was quite surprising, considering that he'd left us in orbit, and apparently had no desire to return.

The fact that he did spoke volumes for his personal loyalty. He could easily have gone about his business, without even thinking about the _Archangel_ and her crew, but he came back instead. Some of it, of course, was because his good friend Kira was still aboard, but I think he'd begun to think of the crew as family, as well.

In any case, Kevin _did_ come back, and from that point on he stayed with the ship, even when it forced him to fight his old mentor, Andrew Waltfeld; though I suspect he might not have stayed with us if Cagalli hadn't insisted on coming with us.

It was during our shot journey through the Red Sea that I really got to know him. During an unguarded moment on the _Archangel_'s deck, I managed to pierce the veil hiding his identity as an Orb nobleman; and with that secret out, Kevin actually opened up, something which I think he hadn't done in a very long time, even with Kira. (Cagalli was, of course, a different matter entirely; even then, rumors were floating around about those two.)

From then on, we were friends, without even the issue of the chain of command to interfere; after all, his military rank stemmed solely from Admiral Halberton's desire to help him out, and was not considered even by Natarle to matter much. (She might not have been very happy about it, but she accepted it, and even she fell under Kevin's spell eventually.)

It was a blow to the entire ship when Kevin's mobile suit, the Stormhawk, was caught in the blast from the Aegis' self-destruct system. From the inhuman shriek we all heard, we assumed that he, like Kira and Tolle Koenig, was dead. With the supposed loss of three of our pilots, the morale of the entire crew plummeted.

In many ways, it got even worse after we reached Alaska. That farce of a Board of Inquiry attempted to pin the blame for every calamity that befell the _Archangel_ squarely on Kira Yamato's shoulders; posthumous slander, by any standard. It was so bad that even Natarle Badgiruel (who was at that point still, as Kevin used to call her, "Lieutenant Spit and Polish") refrained from mentioning the existence of another Coordinator who flew off our ship.

Yes, the mood on the ship was pretty miserable after the "deaths" of two of our comrades, our friends. But then came the Battle of Alaska, and the sudden return of two thought dead. First came Kevin Walker, along with half his face bare metal and a profound dislike of the Zero System, then Kira Yamato, with his new ZGMF-X10A Freedom.

Those two cleared us a path out of Alaskan waters, with Kira's incredible disarming attacks and Kevin's brilliant tactics in CIC. Were it not for them, we would not have made it.

Them... and Mu. But that's another story entirely.

Kevin remained in CIC, taking the transferred Natarle's place, all the way from Alaska to his home nation of Orb. And during that time, I saw that he had changed. Even after reuniting with his best friend Cagalli, in Africa, there'd always been a darkness to him, dimly visible in his eyes. Yet something appeared to have changed his mind about whatever it was that had been bothering him. He truly became part of the crew from then on, joking with them, enduring the rumors and teasing from Chief Kojiro Murdoch and his mechanics, and even striking up something of a rapport with Dearka Elsman, pilot of the Buster, whom we'd captured in the Marshall Islands.

I don't think I'd ever seen Kevin happier than when he reunited with Cagalli, in Orb; and he remained cheerful even when it became obvious Orb could not win against the Atlantic Federation attack. And when Athrun Zala, his old friend, joined us, his happiness was complete.

He was understandably depressed after the loss of Orb, but I never again saw him in the low spirits I'd seen on the journey to Earth. Now he was emotionally whole again, and remained so through the journey to the Mendel Colony, the arrival of his "cousin", Lacus Clyne, and her commandeered ship _Eternal_, and even the early stages of the _Dominion_'s attack on our new base.

I suppose it was sometime during those weeks, before _Dominion_ and Natarle arrived to cause us trouble, that Kevin and I began to grow a little closer; like family, more than friends. We were a lot alike, in some ways; Kevin tended to go a bit farther than I, in terms of battle strategy -he'll be the first to admit he places more emphasis on "final solutions" than most people, and even that his ethics can be a little flexible where people who have hurt him are concerned- but we understood each other, in a way no one else did. We were each to the other like the sibling we never had.

A week after the assault Kevin's clone, John Tyler, conceived, and Kevin himself brilliantly planned and executed, he made it formal. In a small ritual he'd performed exactly twice before, Kevin "adopted" me, swearing an oath to that made us siblings in every way that mattered.

There was, of course, never any thought by anyone that our relationship might go further than that. After a certain incident in Orb, my feelings for Mu were well-known; and Kevin's devotion and fanatical loyalty to Cagalli Yula Athha has never been questioned by anyone.

There's one thing I've seen many a time now, but I still don't quite understand: my brother has an unbelievable facility for inspiring trust and loyalty. From Heliopolis to Earth orbit, and beyond, I think the only people aboard who didn't have total faith in Kevin's trustworthiness were Flay and Kuzzey Buskirk, and even Flay eventually came around... several months later (as for Mr. Buskirk, well... I'm not sure if he ever got over the time Kevin tossed him halfway across the ship and threatened to break his neck).

Then came the capture of the _Dominion._ It was just unbelievable. Meryl Steiglitz I could understand -having known that particular helmswoman for two years now, I have my suspicions about that- but the way the -surviving- crewmembers took to him... within two months, they'd have done anything Kevin asked them to. They _did_ follow him into hell and back... as anyone who was at Jachin knows.

The Second Battle of Jachin Due... from the outset, when Kevin was talking about how to destroy ZAFT's GENESIS, I could tell he was up to something, knew something. He didn't mention Stormhawk's nuclear self-destruct device for nothing.

Obviously, he had a pretty good idea that he was going to have to use it.

That battle is one I will never forget. We were all beyond ourselves there, fighting as we had never fought before and may never fight again; dealing with nuclear weapons and mobile suits and GENESIS all at once. Were it not for our brave pilots, Kevin hardly the least among them, we would never have made it.

It was Jachin, I think, when my brother finally put his demons to rest. First he led _Dominion_ in a final confrontation with Muruta Azrael, the man who ordered the assassination of those who reared him; then he took his badly-damaged Stormhawk to Jachin itself, along with Athrun and Cagalli, and personally immolated Patrick Zala.

Kevin still won't talk much about that moment, even with me, but Athrun told me what happened. _"Eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth, life for a life... Ashes to ashes, dust to dust..."_ In a fashion entirely fitting with his past, as a noble fencer and a cold-blooded super-soldier, Kevin turned Zala to ash, ending at last the life of one who so casually gave the orders that forever altered my brother's body and life.

That just left Rau Le Creuset, and even if Kevin didn't kill him personally, he helped.

I will never, ever forget those last five minutes, as GENESIS counted down to fire and "Snake's" nuke counted down to its own doom. Those five minutes as Kira dueled with Le Creuset... and Kevin's voice came from within the weapon, quoting Robert Frost's Fire and Ice even as the fire prepared to consume him. I'll never forget that terrible instant when GENESIS fired, the bomb detonated, and my beloved brother perished from the powerful surge of radiation.

That put us all in a deep slump for hours; for that matter, it gave John the world's worst headache and literally knocked Kira unconscious. None of us could believe it had really happened, that our "immortal" friend and comrade had truly died. I remember Cagalli's utter desolation, knowing that the one who mattered most to her was gone.

Then who should come strolling onto _Dominion_'s Bridge but Kevin Walker himself.

I don't think I've ever been more shocked then at that moment, watching over the com as he stepped onto _Dominion_'s Bridge and told me that it was perhaps a little early for the eulogy. Shocked... and relieved.

And with that, our war was over. We "brothers in arms" had made it through to the very end; even those like Kevin, for whom the war had started much earlier. We took losses along the way, painful, bitter losses, but we survived. Now came the aftermath... and figuring out where to go from there. The member nations of the Earth Alliance were closed to us, and the PLANTs... they just wouldn't have been a good idea.

If only Mu had still been there with us... Another thing that Kevin helped me through.

He, too, survived the war with us. He'd been through two Cyclops attacks and the massive battle at Jachin, but he survived... and then Blue Cosmos, taking advantage of the peace talks, struck when our guard was down.

It wasn't a very bright move on their part. They attacked Mu, Kevin, and me, while we were walking near Kevin's mansion. Being on a high cliff, the place is dangerous enough as it is; attacking a party including _Kevin Walker,_ the man who's killed more Blue Cosmos members than anyone else, was utterly insane.

Even without his augmentation online, Kevin slaughtered them. It was a dozen to one, but he killed them with ease... but not before Mu took a graze from a bullet to his face, and was knocked off the cliff.

We never recovered his body.

If I was never more shocked than when I saw Kevin come back from the dead, I was never more devastated than when Mu died. But Kevin, taking his responsibilities as a "brother" seriously, somehow managed to put everything on hold for two months, while he stayed by my side, helping me through that terrible time.

I know Kevin blames himself for it, even now; even though it wasn't really his fault. After all, they were almost certainly after him, since it's common knowledge now "Baron Onishi" is a Coordinator. He doesn't seem to realize that it could have been much worse... and that he can't take responsibility for _every_ misfortune suffered by his friends.

Still, he never let that affect him when talking to me during that time; and it was at the end of that time that he invited me to live in the Onishi Mansion...

* * *

"I couldn't impose on you like that..." I protested, when he first broached the idea. 

"Nonsense," Kevin replied, unconsciously tossing his now grown-out sandy hair. "It's no imposition at all, Murrue. Look, Reverend Malchio's already moved the orphanage there, and Kira, Lacus, and Andy have accepted my invitation. Even with all that, I've got more space than I know what to do with... and _you_ need a place to go."

"But..." I began.

He sighed. "Look, Murrue. Whatever our DNA may look like, you're my sister, and I will _not_ just leave you out in the cold. Besides... I've lived too long in the shadows, fighting a hidden war, with naught but a couple of guns for friends. I could use the company, and _you_ shouldn't be alone. Not after all that's happened."

* * *

Well, after a pitch like that I could hardly refuse; and he was right, there _was_ plenty of space. Before long, we were also joined by Kevin's helmswoman and former fencing rival, Meryl Steiglitz; and even with her living there, there was plenty of space. It takes practically half an hour to go from one end of the building to another. 

And so closed that chapter in our lives. We settled down in Orb (though to this day I'm not sure where Natarle and John ended up; we get the occasional letter, but even Kevin hasn't seen either one since the end of the war), and more or less went about our lives.

But I agree with Kevin: this war is not over. Not by a longshot. One day, we may be required to fight again... and we'll be ready. The Black Asp -as ZAFT dubbed him after the war, when he was safely, officially dead- has entrusted to Lacus, Andy, and me that he's been making plans, mostly involving Artemis and the _Dominion_. Even I don't know exactly what he's been up to, but unlike Cagalli I've seen the documentation he has under the name "Kevin Ivanovich Walker".

For right now, though, all is at peace, even my brother, despite being forced to use the name Onishi. With Cagalli by his side, Kevin is content... and so, I suppose, am I.

* * *

Author's note: First, before anyone lynches me, let me say that I did _not_ really kill off Mu. This is just to account for certain events in Destiny, okay? 

Now, I don't really know how this one-shot will be received, but it was something that I felt should be written. After that scene in Chapter 33, between Kevin and Murrue, I thought I should expound upon their brother/sister relationship; it'll play a larger role in the sequel to Brothers in Arms, as well.

So, I hope that was at least somewhat interesting.

Arekuruu-inabikari-no-She, that's an interesting idea, about the Junk Guild; definitely something to consider, though it'll be some time yet before I can do anything with it.

Ominae, I imagine _you_, at least, approved of this; and, as you can see, there'll be more such interaction between them in Brothers in Arms: A Call to Arms.

The General, I believe I addressed your points in the latest update of Birds of a Feather; nonetheless, thanks for reviewing.

RVD, also thanks for reviewing; I hope you found this at least informative.

Well, I think that's everything that needs to be said. Read, and let me know if it was any good. -Solid Shark


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